Turnip Festival coming up

Preparations are under way to celebrate the Magical Mystery Turnip at the 10th annual Turnip Festival, this year on Saturday, Nov. 23.

Staff reports

Preparations are under way to celebrate the Magical Mystery Turnip at the 10th annual Turnip Festival, this year on Saturday, Nov. 23.

According to organizers, this year’s gathering promises both old favorites and new twists. Guests can sample homemade culinary specialties featuring Eastham turnips, cheer on contestants in the turnip shuck-off, listen to live music performed by the Higher Ground String Band, guess the weight of the Enormous Eastham Turnip, shop for turnip merchandise including t-shirts and hats, and of course, purchase delicious Eastham turnips to grace Thanksgiving dinner tables.

Entertainment for children will include Trevor the Juggler, a Mr. Turnip Head Contest, face painting, turnip arts and crafts, turnip patch ring toss and turnip bowling. New this year, Eastham Public Library is sponsoring a poetry contest for middle school students, the winning turnip-themed poem to be printed in the festival program.

Attendees are invited to bring a decorated, turnip-themed hat and compete in the first ever Turnip Topper Contest, complete with parade and prizes for grade school Junior Sprouts through adult Forever Young age categories. Also new, this year’s Turnip Cook-Off will introduce a new prize category, the Teen Cuisine Award, for budding Bobby Flays and Rachel Rays.

The person (or family) that has traveled the furthest distance to attend the Turnip Fest will be presented with the first ever Turnip Traveler Award.

To commemorate this harvest season, a cornucopia will be displayed at the festival and attendees are invited to bring freewill food donations (non-perishable items only please) to benefit the Love Food Pantry ... Eastham neighbor helping neighbor.

For more information, contact Marianne Sinopoli msinopoli@clamsnet.org or 508-240-5950

The festivities will take place Saturday, Nov. 23, from 1 to 4 p.m. in the cafeteria at Nauset Regional High School.